Autotelematic Spider Bots

Autotelematic spider bots made their debut at the Sunderland Museum & Winter Garden in the U.K. earlier this week. The Lifelike AV Festival 06 running at the museum features work which shows how technological creations can mimic living organisms. Ken Rinaldo's spiderlike robots are demonstrated next to the museum's collection of real spiders.

The spider bots are about 2 feet by 1.5 feet; they are programmed to sense and interact with visitors. A group of these fiesty robots will be available for viewing (and playing with) at the show. They look for food like insects and communicate "like twittering birds." They can even activate your phone. People who have viewed the exhibit are impressed with the "amazingly elegant motion" displayed by the robots. (I wonder if they look less creepy than the somewhat scary looking RISE Robots mentioned on this site yesterday.)

Rinaldo is a US artist who has received a variety of awards from the many institutions across the globe which have hosted his shows.

“My work is related to research of living systems. I am interested in the intertwined symbiosis of all living things at all levels and scales. What is happening in our technological world is a systemic approach which doesn’t take on ecology and communication.”

Donated rapid-manufactured parts from Laser Reproduuctions, along with sponsorship by Parallax Inc., made the exhibition possible.